Australian viewers will "hear a World XI of commentators -- and not Nine's summer team" -- during the Cricket World Cup broadcasts on Fox Sport and the Nine Network, according to Michael Bodey of THE AUSTRALIAN. Both Australian broadcasters will take the Int'l Cricket Council and host broadcaster Star Sports' "world feed" of matches "rather than use their own commentary teams during the ball-by-ball telecasts of the 49 cricket matches." For the global feed taken by both broadcasters, Fox Sports' commentators Mark Waugh, Damien Fleming and Allan Border will be joined by Nine's Brett Lee, Mark Taylor and Michael Slater with Mark Nicholas and Shane Warne employed by the ICC. The ICC/Star Sports commentary team is an "all-star assemblage" including Ian Botham, David "Bumbles" Lloyd, Rameez Raja, Nasser Hussain, Shaun Pollock, Mike Atherton, Harsha Bhogle, Wasim Akram and Sanjay Manjrekar. Fox Sports has secured Brian Lara, Ryan Harris and Kevin Pietersen to "supplement the matches" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 2/9).
SECURITY FEAR: Bodey reported in a separate piece there are "security concerns over the entry of up to 200 foreign TV workers from India and South Africa to Australia" for the Cricket World Cup, with fears "normal visa restrictions are being bypassed." The mass of foreign workers for the World Cup has "upset unions, crew and local broadcasters for a number of reasons, including job security, safety, the degradation of wages, and the possible outcome the event will not even provide" a net economic benefit to the local broadcast sector (THE AUSTRALIAN, 2/9).
